I’m calling today the beginning of our Irish Season. Not only is it St. Patrick’s Day (My favorite holiday) but it is also the day we meet with Andrew’s rugby coach about Andrew’s trip to Ireland which begins this Wednesday. This is also the week we’ll probably book our flight to Ireland and maybe fill in our itinerary. We’ve already booked two cottages: Parkduff in County Clare and Tralia House in County Kerry.

Having Patrick for a last name was always cool on St. Patrick’s Day — as a kid and as a teacher. March 17th was a determining factor in not changing my name when I got married. Kids would say to me Happy St. Patrick‘s Day, Ms Patrick! I never got tired of it. Occasionally, even now, someone will say that to me. It always makes me smile.

According to the Irish folk I met on my first trip to Ireland in 1979, I may not even be of Irish decent. Patrick is not a surname in that country; although, they reasoned, it could have been Fitzpatrick or Kirkpatrick and changed once my ancestors arrived in the United States.